Guiding Principles for Facilitating Higher Levels of Web-Based Distance Teaching and Learning in Post-Secondary Settings

The purpose of this study was to develop guiding principles to encourage higher levels of teaching and learning in Web-based distance education. The research framework used Zetterberg's (1962) model for change. Data from semi-structured interviews with university instructors who had experience in teaching Web-based distance education courses, a focus group interview with educational technologists, a review of related literature, and my own reflective journal, provided insights for the development of teaching and learning principles. A validation process was then conducted from experts and scholars in the field through a consensus survey. The outcome was the development of a model with nine principles that facilitate higher levels of teaching and learning in Web-based distance education.     

Semantic-aware components and services of ActiveMath

ActiveMath is a complex web‐based adaptive learning environment with a number of components and interactive learning tools. The basis for handling semantics of learning content is provided by its semantic (mathematics) content markup, which is additionally annotated with educational metadata. Several components, tools and external services can make use of that content markup, eg, a course generator, a semantic search engine and user input evaluation services. The components and services have to communicate, pass content and state changes, actions, etc including mathematical semantics and educational markup. The novel event infrastructure supports this communication. This paper focuses on the usage of the content's semantics by selected novel components and sketches the communication.     

A Virtual Learning Environment for Part-Time MASW Students: An Evaluation of the WebCT

This study aims to evaluate the perception of a cohort of social workers studying for a part-time master's program in social work in using the popular Web-based learning platform-World Wide Web Course Tools (WebCT) as a complimentary method of teaching and learning. It was noted that social work profession began incorporating computer technology in its practice long after other professions. Its incorporation into social work teaching came even later. Questionnaires were used to collect views on computer-assisted learning (CAL) and the WebCT. Follow-up, individual in-depth interviews were conducted to obtain further qualitative data to understand the specific conditions under which a virtual learning environment becomes facilitative. It was found that in general students have a positive towards CAL and the WebCT, but they do not think that their education should be entirely Web-based. Teacher-student interactions were still essential to achieve the educational objectives. Nonetheless, the complementary value of the virtual learning environment, that is, a good measure of independence and productivity in their study depends on the students' level of competence and familiarity with the WebCT platform.     

网络教育研究中的基本问题

网络教育是当前教育技术学研究的重要方向。网络教育理论研究中的三个基本问题是:网络教育中WEB(互联网)的教育技术学本质、媒体对学习的影响、网络学习环境中的学习控制。在网络教育中WEB在本质上是一种学习环境;媒体并不是学习效果的决定性因素,而媒体运用的方法和教与学过程中的媒体策略才是影响学习效果的因素;在网络学习环境中,完全的学习者控制是不适当的,应通过创设有效的认知支架,帮助学习者作出合理的学习决策。     

Pedagogic Metadata

As more and more on-line resources are becoming available, finding ones suitable for specific educational purposes is becoming increasingly difficult. Not only must the subject matter be appropriate and the content be accurate, but the resources must also match the educational level and background of the user. Once a suitable Web site, graphic, applet, or other resource has been located, additional problems must be faced if it is to be integrated into a learning environment. There might be software incompatibilities, legal issues, and questions concerning how it will interface with other components. This article offers a non-technical introduction and overview of metadata, an important and fascinating part of the solution to these problems. It gives the definition and examples of metadata, shows how metadata can help non-experts search for on-line resources, and explains how metadata can assist in the use and re-use of on-line pedagogic materials. It ends with a discussion of learning object metadata, the IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee standard that has recently been accepted by the major pedagogic metadata efforts.     

Faculty Response to the Implementation of an Open Source Learning Management System in Three Tertiary Institutions in New Zealand

ABSTRACT

In spite of their apparent benefits, learning management systems can be regarded as a hindrance to effective online learning. Their design, functionality, complexity, price, and value are beginning to be questioned by some users. As a new generation of Web-based tools and approaches evolves, Web-based learning management systems are becoming better suited to meet the need for dynamic online learning, interaction, collaboration, and networking. The new tools and collaborative approaches these systems provide allow learners to take proactive control of their own learning. In June 2004 a consortium of New Zealand Tertiary Institutions led by the Waikato Institute of Technology secured a one-year Ministry of Education grant to support the “Open Source Courseware Initiative New Zealand” (OSCINZ). The OSCINZ project focused on the development and implementation of “Moodle” (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) to create a uniquely New Zealand learning management system, based on quality open source code developed and tested by leading educational providers. This paper describes the response of faculty in three of the project's partner tertiary institutions to the implementation of Moodle in their institutions.     

Developing and Researching Information and Communication Technology as a Research Tool

Abstract

In 2000–2001, the authors derived a 13-category classification system for Web-based educational resources, based on analysis of 199 educational resources recognized as “exemplary” by four national entities. In 2004, we re-examined that classification system, analyzing a stratified random sample of 40 exemplary Web-based resources from the same entities. While the classification system still accommodated categorizing current educational resources, we detected some overlap among categories. Through combination and redefinition, we reduced the number of categories to eleven. This article addresses the initial and modified classification systems, the analysis procedures employed, examples of resources in each category, and future applications of the classification system.     

基于资源分类信息树的教育资源元数据分布式存储

在教育资源大规模应用系统中,除了资源数据存储外,资源元数据信息的更新、获取也会成为系统的瓶颈。我们提出了一种利用资源分类信息树来辅助教育资源元数据分布式存储的策略,并就其各种操作进行了研究。该策略除拥有集中式存储的资源查全、查准特性外,还拥有灵活的扩展性,能应对大规模用户访问。     

The influence of personality on social participation in learning environments

The impacts of the instructional environment (classroom vs. Web-based instructional environment—WBIE) and personality differences on students' social participation were examined among 214 university students. Students reported their attendance, willingness to participate and actual participation in each instructional environment. Students' personality traits were measured by the Big Five Inventory. It was found that despite of frequent attendance to both educational environments, the classroom seems to enhance students' active participation whereas WBIE appears to inhibit it. Participants in class were more extroverted, open to new experiences and emotionally stable, relative to non-participants. Such differences were not found between WBIE participants and non-participants. Students who actively participated only in WBIE were more introverted and more neurotic than students who participated in both environments, students who did not participate in either instructional environment, or students who participated exclusively in class. These results point to the psychological impact of the two instructional environments, and suggest viewing social participation as a result of educational context while individual differences play secondary role.     

Educational Assessment via a Web-Based Intelligent System

Effective assessment is vital in educational activities. We propose IWAS （intelligent Web-based assessment system）, an intelligent, generalized and real-time system to assess both learning and teaching. IWAS provides a foundation for more efficiency in instructional activities and, ultimately, students＇ performances. Our contributions are summarized as （1） Given the causes （student knowledge levels and learning styles）, BN （Bayesian Networks） technique is utilized to automatically reason on the probabilities of the presence of the effects （learning outcomes）; （2） The absence of teaching practice assessments is addressed via the feedbacks from three different levels, aiming to correlate the teaching assessment with the learning assessments for the improved effectiveness in instructional activities; （3） Under a client/server architecture, IWAS is decomposed into a set of independent modules; through the standard inter-module interfaces, the flexibility of easy maintenance makes IWAS a generalized system adaptable to different domains; and （4） Web technologies are integrated to deliver the formative feedbacks to users in a timely manner     

基于元数据和XML的通信网仿真资源描述与管理研究

通信网仿真已成为M&S的研究热点,如何管理通信网仿真资源是提高仿真系统开发效率的关键。提出基于元数据和XML的仿真资源描述与管理框架。采用XML定义与表示仿真资源的元数据描述模型,并设计了基于Web的仿真资源管理系统,使用户通过系统平台实现对仿真资源的共享、重用与互操作。     

基于网络的探究式学习模式及其在高职教育中的应用

将网络技术应用于探究式学习是一种创造性的尝试。基于网络的探究式学习的兴起,并依据建构主义学习理论、双主互动教学设计模式和探究式学习的特征,分析了网络对于探究式学习的支持后,提出了基于网络的探究式学习模式。并结合高职学科教学中的需要,设想了网上探究式学习室的设计架构、思路和教学目标。     

The Effects of a Web-Based Learning Environment on Student Motivation in a High School Earth Science Course

Collaborating closely with a 10th-grade science teacher, we designed a Web-based learning environment (Web-LE) to improve student motivation to learn science. Factors believed to enhance intrinsic motivation (challenge, control, curiosity, and fantasy) were integrated into the instructional design of the Web-based learning tool. The Web-LE was implemented in the teacher’s 10th-grade classroom as a three-day student-centered learning activity. Data collection methods included individual student interviews, teacher interviews, motivation questionnaires, and observations. This study revealed multiple forms of evidence that the Web-LE and the associated learning activity improved student motivation. This study illustrates the benefits of educational researchers working closely with teachers using design-based research methods to successfully solve instructional problems and identify reusable design principles. Design principles for the integration of intrinsic motivation factors into the development of similar Web-LEs are presented as well as directions far future research.     

开放共享、社会交互:网络课程中借鉴Web2.0理念的探索

网络课程已经成为一种技术存在与教育教学相融合的实践范例,是教师、学生在网络这种具体的技术支持下展开的教育交往与经验共享。在网络课程建设中借鉴Web2.0,就要借鉴其适应学习者不断增长的个性化与社会化需求的理念。这种理念,在个性化上体现的特征是"开放共享",在社会化上体现的特征是"社会交互"。通过开源软件系统Joekoe CMS、OBlog的整合设计,可在网络课程中实践Web2.0理念的融合     

Child Behavior Problems,Teacher Executive Functions,and Teacher Stress in Head Start Classrooms

Research Findings: The current article explores the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of child behavior problems and preschool teacher job stress, as well as the possibility that teachers’ executive functions moderate this relationship. Data came from 69 preschool teachers in 31 early childhood classrooms in 4 Head Start centers and were collected using Web-based surveys and Web-based direct assessment tasks. Multilevel models revealed that higher levels of teachers’ perceptions of child behavior problems were associated with higher levels of teacher job stress and that higher teacher executive function skills were related to lower job stress. However, findings did not yield evidence for teacher executive functions as a statistical moderator. Practice or Policy: Many early childhood teachers do not receive sufficient training for handling children's challenging behaviors. Child behavior problems increase a teacher's workload and consequently may contribute to feelings of stress. However, teachers’ executive function abilities may enable them to use effective, cognitive-based behavior management and instructional strategies during interactions with students, which may reduce stress. Providing teachers with training on managing challenging behaviors and enhancing executive functions may reduce their stress and facilitate their use of effective classroom practices, which is important for children's school readiness skills and teachers’ health.     

FOREWORD

ABSTRACT

The study reported in this paper examined the types of professional-development activities, support systems, and organizational structures necessary for community college faculty to make transitions from traditional teaching to Web-based teaching. Results indicate that (a) instructional change can by initiated through sustained professional development; (b) change is more meaningful and effective when it occurs in context over a sustained period of time; (c) faculty can embrace innovations when supported by knowledgeable professionals and their peers; and (d) students welcome the use of Web-based components in course work. The implications for practice may be useful to those wishing to increase faculty's online instructional competence.